http://in.reuters.com/article/2012/12/20/russia-depardieu-idINDEE8BJ0A320121220NEW LINKRussian President Vlad Putin has jumped into French actor Gerard Depardieu's tax brouhaha...by allegedly offering his 'close friend'...a Russian passport and residence. Depardieu jokingly told a reporter Putin had already sent him a passport. The wealthy actor has threatened to surrender his French citizenship because of a new tax on the rich...and resents being called 'pathetic' by a top French official. He has also reportedly put his $70 million Paris home on the market.

Depardieu, 63... is no stranger to controversies. The French actor is still under attack for some recent bizarre activities...like peeing in a bottle on an airliner...and drunk driving on a motor scooter. He also recently recorded a song with the daughter of Uzbekistan's longtime dictator. It is a strange melding of 2 controversial voices.The song was c0-written by Gulnara Karimova...aka GooGoosha...the hated eldest daughter of Uzbekistan's Islam Karimov.

She sings in Russian...while he reads her poem Nebo Molchit in French.GooGoosha has been trying to carve out a new career as a pop singer. Of course...Uzbek radio stations have been forced to play her song. She recently caused an uproar in the Muslim nation by posting Twitter fotos of herself doing provocative yoga poses...dressed in somewhat scanty apparel.ORIG LINK:http://www.france24.com/en/20121210-uzbek-presidents-daughter-releases-duet-with-depardieu

Meanwhile...Depardieu, 63...faces mounting criticism over his move across the border to Belgium...to escape new higher taxes on the rich. He has recently purchased a residence in tiny Nechin, Belgium...much favored by other wealthy French tax exiles. The actor currently owns vineyards in 7 countries, 3 Paris restaurants, a fish shop and a motorbike dealership. Depardieu has reportedly put his exclusive $70 million Paris home on the market...and in an open letter to the French PM...is investigating surrendering his French passport for a Belgian one...because of President Hollande's new tax.TO READ:http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5g4oZpWh5uS5ystZviO93MnA-BT-Q?docId=CNG.1d3c488c7484eee3d80a87095058d376.181